1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a screw connector for medical hose systems and a medical hose system having a screw connector as well as sterilization of such medical hose systems by steam sterilization and/or gas sterilization. A plurality of connectors for medical hose systems are known, in particular so-called Luer-Lock connectors. Medical hose systems are used in infusion technology and in extracorporeal blood treatment, for example, and must be sterile for these applications.
2. Description of Related Art
To ensure sterility, medical hose systems for infusion technology and for extracorporeal blood treatment are packaged in a suitable closed package in which they are sterilized. The sterilization may be performed as steam sterilization and/or gas sterilization. The aforementioned sterilization methods require that gases and/or hot steam be able to reliably reach all the external and internal surfaces of the medical hose system.
The document DE 35 15 665 C1 discloses a closure stopper for tight sealing of connections in medical technology, in particular Luer-Lock connections. Its two connecting parts optionally permit either a loose attachment, in which it is still possible for gas to pass through, as well as a tight closing of the connection. The loosely attached position and the closed position are separated by a stop, which can be overcome by elastic deformation. It is therefore proposed that the stop be designed with two internal radial ring ribs in front of the internal thread of the closure stopper and two outer wings on the complementary connecting part.
One disadvantage of this known closure stopper is that the two internal radial ring ribs can be overcome only by a compressive force acting axially on the connecting parts individually and one after the other, relative to the axis of rotation of the closure stopper. Canting may occur if the compressive force does not act precisely axially. Consequently, the user must align the connecting parts very accurately, which is made difficult by the fact that the ring ribs are arranged directly in front of the inside thread of the closure stopper.
When applying a force that does not act precisely axially or an axial force that is too low, the closure stopper may fall off, and in the worst case, it might even fall on the ground, so it would no longer be sterile. The known closure stopper is therefore unreliable and complicated to handle.
On the whole, this results in a burden for the clinic personnel due to procedures that are complicated and/or subject to error.
The document WO 99/20376 A1 proposes a method for rinsing a blood hose set for the extracorporeal blood treatment; it is proposed here that the arterial patient connector and the venous patient connector be connected to a connector already during the production of the blood hose set and then be sterilized in this connected form.
The document WO 96/40320 A1 proposes another method for rinsing a blood hose set for the extracorporeal blood treatment, wherein it is proposed that the arterial patient connector and the venous patient connector be connected by a Y-connector with a drain when rinsing the blood hose set. It is therefore proposed that the packaged extracorporeal blood hose set already contain the Y-connector connected to the arterial patient connector and the venous patient connector.
The document WO 2010/121819 A1 by the present applicant of the present patent application discloses a blood cassette having a blood hose set for the extracorporeal blood treatment with an arterial patient line and a venous patient line. In addition, the document WO 2010/121819 A1 also discloses a method for rinsing an extracorporeal blood circuit, wherein the patient connectors of the arterial patient line and the venous patient line are connected to the rinse port of the dialysis machine by means of a T-connector. Reference is made to the contents of the document WO 2010/121819 A1 fully in the present patent application.
Conical connectors with a 6% (Luer) cone are known for syringes, cannulas and certain other medical devices, in particular lockable conical connectors, which are also referred to as Luer-Lock connectors.